Thieds to michael mcineeney



(No Model.)

F. G. WHITE.

, )SWINGING BRIDGE FENDER.

366.053. Patented July 5,1887.

III!

imp Illllllll IIIHI by the nuts b UNITED STATES truce,

AIENT FRANK G. XVI-IITE, OF SOUTH CHICAGO, ILLINOIS,ASSIGNOR OF TYVOTHIRDSTO MICHAEL MOINERNEY, OF SAME PLACE.

SWlNGlNG-BRIDGE FENDER.

EPECIPICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 366,053, dated July 5,1887.

Application filed June 25, 1885. Renewed April 23, 1887. Serial No.23559337. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK G. WHITE, of South Chicago, in the county ofCook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new andusefulImprovements inSwinging-BridgeFenders; and I do hereby declarethat the following is a full, clear, and exact description of theinvention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, and to letters of reference marked thereon, whichform a part of this specification.

My invention relates to bridgefenders which automatically close the.approach to swinging bridges when the same is open, and open saidapproach when the bridge is closed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of my invention. Fig. 2isa front elevation of the abutment of the bridge-approach. Fig. 3 is atransverse vertical section of bridge-approach. Fig. 4 is a detail viewshowing one of the drums and pinions in section. Fig. 5 shows amodification.

Reference being bad to the drawings, A represents a swinging bridge ofthe usual construction, the ends of which are curved to correspond to asegment of a circle struck from the pivotal center of said bridge.Arranged underneath these ends and supported by arms b b, connected attheir inner ends nearer the centerof the bridge, are the racks B B.These racks describe a segment of a circle similar to the ends of abridge under which they are placed, and are provided with a series ofcogs on both the upper and under surfaces. Depending from the undersurface of the bridge are the vertical rods 1) b, which pass downwardthrough suitable openings in the arms b 1), near where they connect withthe racks B, and have surrounding them immediately above and below saidarms the stiff springs 12 b the pressure of which against the arms isregulated The cogs on the upper surface of the racks B mesh with pinion0, fast on shaft 0, projecting and journaled in suitable hearings in theabutments of the bridge-approach diagonally opposite each other and on aline radiating from the pivotal center of the bridge. The cogs on theunder surface of said racks B mesh with the pinion D, fast on the end ofshaft d, journaled on a plane below said F and lifts that end of thegate.

ion 0, Pinion D is on a plane below that of U pinion O, and the two areso arranged that the rack as it travels from right to left willalternately engage pinions CG, driving them in one direction, and thenpinions D D, driving them in the opposite direction, or vice versa. Theshafts of these pinions Oand D extend horizontally through the abutmentsof the bridge-approach to a chamber under the road approaching thebridge, where, contiguous to said abutment, they are provided withconcave pulley or sprocket. wheels 0 d, which are connected by meansofarope, cable, or chain, e. On theinner ends of these shafts c and d,contiguous to the pulleys c and d, are drums E,having the ropes orchains F wound around them from right to left, so that as said drumsrevolve from left to right they unwind or pay out the rope, and whenthey have the contrary motion wind or haul it in. These ropes F, afterthey leave the drums, pursue an upward course through the road-bed tothe pulleys G, journaled in the vertical posts II, after passing orbeing wound around which they travel downward and are connected in asuitable manner to the gates I. These gates are placed transverselyacross the road leading to the bridge,and when the bridge is closed restin a suitable chamber, of corresponding dimensions, which is below theroad bed, and when lifted out therefrom through the transverse openingthereof close the approach to the bridge.

' In operation my invention works substantially as follows: Say theswinging bridge is closed and it is desired to open it. Now, as thebridge moves to the rightthe cogs'on the upper surface of the rack willengage with pinion O, which derives a motion therefrom from right toleft, which it imparts to the drum E on the same shaft, and thus windsthe rope The motion thus acquired by pinion C will be imparted topinions D by the rope belt e,and will cause the rope F to wind aroundthe drum on shaft (Z, thus lifting both ends of the gate simulta ncouslyand at the same rate of speed. If the bridge is swinging into place fromright to left, the motion of the pinion 0 would be the reverse of thatjust described, causing the rope to unwind from the drum, thus loweringthe gate.

It makes no difference in what direction the bridge, is moving whenbeing opened or closed. The gate will be lifted to close the approach tothe bridge when said bridge is opened, and will be lowered to open saidapproach when the bridge is closed. If desired, considerable frictioncan be overcome by weighting the ropes F between the pulleys G and c andG at, so as to counterbalance to a certain extent the weight of thegate. Moreover, a frictionroller may be placed on the same verticalplane above pinion D and one on' the same vertical plane below pinion 0,both of which have, preferably, rubber tires, and are separated fromsaid pinions the thickness of said racks. These friction-rollers areadapted to keep the racks in engagement with pinionsO and Dwhen thebridge is moving.

By reference to Fig. 5 it will be seen how the 1* gate may be liftedwithout exposing the ropes F above the road-bed. This I accomplish bybringing the pulleys G down below the surface of the road-bed in asuitable chamber and connecting them by means ofa .belt or endlesschain, and then connecting the lower corners ofthe gate to the saidbelts in such manner that they will lift the gate at the same speed atthe same time. In case this modification is used the rest of theactuating mechanism remains the same.

What I claim as new, and desire to seen re by Letters Patent, is'- 1. Inan automatic bridge-fender, t-heswinging bridge, double racks 13,arranged under the ends ofsaid bridge, arms b,and rods b',sup-

porting said racks, in combination with pinions 0 and D, alternatelyengaged by said racks B, shafts c and d,snitaloly connected, drums'E,ropes F, and gate G, substantially as hereinbefore specified.

2. The combination, with the swinging bridge, and the racks arrangedunder the ends thereof, of the pinions O and D, arranged, respectively,above and below the horizontal plane of said racks and engaged,respectively, 45 by the cogs on the upper and under surfaces thereof,the shafts c and d, carrying said pinions, the pulleys c and cl thereon,and cable e,connecting the same, the drums E, ropes F, pulleys G,upright posts H, having bearings for pulleys G, and gates I, said ropesF. being preferably weighted between pulleys c and G and d and G,respectively, asand for the purpose set forth.

3. The combination of the racks arranged under the ends of a swingingbridge, arm's supporting said racks, which are nearer the center of thebridge, vertical rods depending from said bridge and passing throughsuitable openings in said arms, and springs surrounding said rods aboveand below said arms, the pressure whereof against said arms is regulatedby nuts, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I hereunto affix mysignature in pres- 65 once of two witnesses.

FRANK G. WHITE.

Witnesses:' I

JNo. WV. SIoKELs, FRANK D. TnoMAsoN.

